The Red Sox lost the first game of this series which was a frustrating game.  Justin Masterson had some trouble hitting his spots.  Masterson is a sinkerballer and the Reds are a team with a lot of left-handed bats in their line-up.  Coming from a right-handed pitcher, that sinker is going to break right into the hitting zone of a lot of those left-handed Cincinnati hitters.  Aaron Harang also pitched well for the Reds and is a better pitcher than his record indicates.

In the second game of the series, the Red Sox did well against a great pitcher in Edinson Volquez.  The Red Sox were able to capitalize on mistakes and manufacture some runs and prove that they can be a competitive team without Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz.

The Jonathan Papelbon pitch that Edwin Encarnacion hit for the game tying homerun was a case of missed location as Pap threw him a split fingered fastball that didn’t move.  Luckily the sox were able to get those runs back.  The Coco Crisp homerun was another case of missed location: he tends to struggle with an inside pitch and pull it foul, the pitch he hit for a homerun was out over the plate and Coco was able to get his arms extended and drive the ball.

The finale was a good win for the Red Sox offense without Manny and Papi, Josh Beckett showed that he may be rounding into MidSeason form, and JD Drew continues to crush the ball.

It is hard to play on the road, but it’s tough to put finger on the reasons for a team’s road difficulties. Sometimes, certain places are just tough on a team. The Red Sox always have trouble in Oakland. We swept them in the 1975 playoffs and that was the last time a Red Sox team had consistent success in that city. When the Red Sox visit Tampa Bay it can be like running into a brick wall because the Devil Rays play us so tough.Fans think that because athletes are professional they are above the mental aspect of playing in a hostile environment, but it can be in the back of your mind. You try hard to block out everything going on around you but the game, but the environment and the doubts can creep back into your head. I think this is true in any sport. If you look at the home vs. road win splits in any of the major sports, playing at home is clearly an advantage.

The positive side of this is that it is the same way when teams come to Boston - it’s in their head. Boston is a tough place to play in any sport. It was tough for the formerly first place Devil Rays and it will be tough for the Lakers on Sunday.

A lot of people ask what Carlton Fisk and Carl Yastrzemski were like as teammates or, given the depth of Red Sox talent, who the leader of the clubhouse was in the 1970’s. The simple answer is that all of the guys were leaders. There was so much experience and talent in that clubhouse that there were numerous people you could go to for advice or to look at as an example for how to handle a situation.

There were different styles by which players carried themselves on that team. Yaz was the quiet type who led by example. He was the team captain and had been with the team for the longest. He had the baseball experience and experience in the city of Boston. He was the name and face of that team.

Carlton took charge of the game. He was intense and he knew that, as the catcher, he played a key role on that team. He would walk out behind the plate slowly and everyone would have to wait for him. When he was on the field, you knew he was in control.

Leadership is expressed in many different and unique ways. Everyone in that clubhouse showed these traits at various times and that is what made that Baseball team so successful.

I was just curious if you feel you could have played against the Cincinnati Reds
in the 1975 series and that it was only management that did not allow it?
There are many people who think Boston might have won it had you been able
to play. Did you think management was being too conservative in not allowing
you to play?
Curt B.

I appreciate that people think I could have made a difference in the 1975 World Series. I wanted to play in that series and help my teammates. But anyone who thinks that management was being too conservative by not allowing me to play doesn’t know the severity of my injury.

I had a broken hand. With about 10 days to go in the season, Vern Ruhle hit me in the left hand and crushed two of my knuckles. I took the cast off because I didn’t want to be a spectator, but I couldn’t play. I couldn’t grip a bat.

Aside from your 1978 MVP, what was your most memorable experience with the Red Sox?
Nancy S., Peabody, MA

Aside from the memories of 1978, the next memory that jumps out at me is being there and watching the Red Sox win the World Series in 04. I was on teams that came so close twice. Both times, 1975 and 1986, we were one win away from bringing Boston a championship and we didn’t win it.

The 2004 team was a great experience.  They were the underdog against the Yankees and completed the greatest comeback in sports history.